Assessment of Tsunami Hazard Presented by Possible Seismic Events: Far-Field Effects

摘要

The purpose of this study is to model the propagation of tsunamis from source regions off the west coast of South America to the continental shelf zone of Alaska, Japan, the Philippines, Australia, and New Zealand. The simulations were carried out by numerically solving the linear, inviscid equations for long waves. Potential generating areas were chosen by identifying seismic gaps in the Peru-Chile Trench area. Ocean bottom displacements in each source area were specified on the basis of representative earthquake parameters (depth, dip angle, fault length and width, slip displacement) chosen from an examination of historical seismicity patterns in the area. Areas of maximum offshore wave height were identified along each coastline in response to each earthquake/tsunami event. Several coastal areas were subjected to high concentrations of wave energy no matter where the source was located.